Couple badly injured after careless motorist caused collision in Derbyshire

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on November 20 how Jeremy Sheppard, 58, caused the collision on the A515 at Newhaven, near Buxton.

Prosecuting solicitor Anthony Cheung said a motorist was driving along the A515 with a line of cars on the other side of the road, from where the defendant’s Vauxhall Astra suddenly appeared across her path and caused the collision.

Mr Cheung said: “She described the weather as nice with sunshine and dry conditions. As she approached the end of a line of cars in the other lane a car came out of nowhere and she had no time to avoid the collision.”

The woman motorist suffered a broken left wrist, a broken nose and pain to her ribs, according to Mr Cheung, and her husband, who was a passenger, was more seriously injured.

Mr Cheung said the woman’s husband suffered internal bleeding which required treatment in the intensive care unit at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.

The court was shown the collision from the woman motorist’s dash cam footage which showed Sheppard’s Astra suddenly appearing across the front of her vehicle prior to the collision.

Sheppard, of Hunters Chase, Mansfield Woodhouse, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention after the collision on September 20.

Defence solicitor Craig Lowe said Sheppard has no relevant previous driving convictions. He was frank with police and entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.

Mr Lowe added: “The police officer said it was a momentary lapse. He has never once sought to minimise his involvement and he is normally a diligent driver.”

Sheppard, who is an inspector for Severn Trent Water, had been driving when his nearside tyres hit a verge which created traction, causing his car to spin around into the path of the complainant.

Magistrates fined Sheppard £350 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £35 victim surcharge.

His driving licence was also endorsed with six points.